Tory MPPs end their HST protest in the Ont. legislature

TORONTO - A two-politician sit-in at the Ontario legislature has ended.

Two Progressive Conservatives who'd been refusing to leave the chamber to protest the lack of public hearings over the HST have given up after less than two days.

Bill Murdoch and Randy Hillier admit they can't force the Liberal government to hold public hearings on the merging of the provincial sales tax with the GST next July.

But the two insist their protest wasn't in vain because they've helped people realize the provincial Conservatives oppose the HST.

Murdoch and Hillier have both been suspended until the next session of the legislature, which may not come until after the 2011 election.

Opposition Leader Tim Hudak admitted the protest was approved by the Conservative caucus to try to force the Liberals into allowing public hearings across the province on the new tax.

However, the New Democrats say the Tory protest was aimed at helping the Conservatives distract voters from the fact they once supported harmonization.

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  Progressive Conservative MPPs Randy Hillier and Bill Murdoch staged a two-day sit-in at the Ontario legislature to protest a lack of public hearings on the HST.

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  Progressive Conservative MPPs Randy Hillier and Bill Murdoch staged a two-day sit-in at the Ontario legislature to protest a lack of public hearings on the HST.